Alex Chadwick was somewhat of a late developer and in the saddle, not riding his first
winner until he was 22. Now, at 29, as reigning champion amateur over jumps and in pole
position to retain his title, he is one of the leading practitioners in the unpaid ranks. From
Sawtry in Cambridgeshire, and stable amateur for the powerful James Owen yard at
Newmarket, Alex primarily rides for James’ wife Jenny between the flags. Jake Exelby
caught up with him at the start of the East Anglian point-to-point season, after a week in
which he’d had two winners under rules to go with one at Horseheath.
Talk me through your career in racing so far and how you got into point-to-pointing in
the first place?
I’m not from a horsey family, but my older sister was having riding lessons, so I started aged
five. It was down to sibling rivalry – I thought, ‘It can’t be that hard if she’s doing it’. I hated
my first lesson but stuck at it and began to enjoy it, mastering the trot and starting jumping.
At about seven or eight, I told my parents I wanted to be a jockey, so they got me a cheap
Arab pony. He was one-eyed so could only really gallop in a straight line, and any bend had
to be left-handed, but we won point-to-point pony races in East Anglia and the Midlands.
From 14, I rode out for Charlie McBride at Newmarket at the weekend and learnt loads, then
applied for a job as a conditional with Paul Nicholls at 16. It was the worst decision of my life
– although I rode some really nice horses, I only had two rides in four years.
Aged 20, I went to work for Claire Hitch in Devon and got an outside ride – Major Buck for
Gordon Chambers. We fell, I broke my collarbone and thought that was me done. I applied
for a job in the army as my parents were ex-military but, because I’d broken a bone, they told
me to come back in a year.
How did you come to start riding for Ed and Polly Walker?
I didn’t know what to do next – I was pretty down, 21 and unemployed – so applied for, and
was offered, a job as a Dominos delivery driver! But then I rang a lady called Polly Gundry
who was looking for staff – I didn’t even know she’d been champion jockey!
I’ve never met anyone like Polly. She’s crazy, but in a good way. She gave me so many
bollockings but took me under her wing. After a season, she said she had a horse for me to
ride. It was 13-year-old Ned The Post, who gave me my first winner at Woodford – I never
thought I’d win a race. Ned, Polly and her husband Ed got my life back on track.
After that, you moved up North, then back home…
I got a call from agent Bruce Jeffrey, who sadly died young, who said there was a position
for me as an amateur if I could get my weight down to 9st7lb. I didn’t think I could, but gave it
a go, and got a job with Sandy Thomson. I had rides for him and a lot for Victor Thompson
under rules, plus a fair number in points, but wasn’t having many winners, so came back to
Newmarket, had a few rides for Mark Tompkins and thought, ‘I love it here’, so stayed.
How did your association with James Owen start?
I was riding out for him occasionally and, after I left Mark’s, rang him up asking for a job. It
was the best thing I ever did. I said I wanted to be a jockey, but I was 23 and wasn’t going
anywhere – I’d had about 100 rides and only a handful of winners. Tim Gredley was riding
his own horses, Gina and Jack Andrews were riding the other pointers and Simon Walker
and Jo Mason had the mounts on the Arabs.
But I kept my head down and there was a horse – Linkenholt – who no-one wanted to ride. I
said I would, and we were third at Cottenham. When Tim stopped riding, I got the mount on
his Silvergrove, and we won the Queens Cup Hunter Chase at Fakenham.
You then became champion Arab racing jockey riding for James…
He came up to me after the race at Fakenham and asked me to ride his Arabs. I didn’t
understand the sport so replied, ‘I don’t like Arabs’! He was training for Sheikh Hamdan al-
Maktoum and obviously had some good horses, I had my first winner on my third ride and
was champion jockey in 2019, then again in 2020.
Why do you think your career riding thoroughbreds really kicked off?
The season after Covid, I had 21 point-to-point winners. As well as for James, I was riding a
lot for David Kemp and was getting spares for the likes of Alan Hill and Gerald Bailey, as
well as Castle Trump for Rob Cundy. That put my name on the map.
But the transition to riding under rules was all due to James. He used to have 30-40 Arabs
before Sheikh Hamdan died, then took out a licence. The original plan was just to train
jumpers, and he’s now got over 100 boxes.
It’s unbelievable how fast everything’s happened – I had 28 winners last season, 14 each
rules and pointing. I used to claim 7lb – it’s now down to 5lb – which is quite a big thing.
James and I have been working together so long that we understand each other. He’s got
faith in me – which is great – and I like to think I deliver and that I’ve established myself as
one of the top amateurs. I’m so grateful to him.
What’s the difference between riding under rules from point-to-points?
Under rules, there’s no margin for error. The jockeys ride day-in, day-out and it’s cut-throat –
if you move a millimetre, you get screamed at! You’ve got to be mentally sharp and so
strong.
Which have been your favourite horses?
Ned The Post. I love that horse, and he got my confidence back.
At James’, I ride (top-class hurdler) Burdett Road every day and have a real soft spot for
him. He’s a cheeky chappie, a real character.
Which other jockeys do you admire?
Even though I never rode against Polly, she’s the ultimate horsewoman.
What’s your favourite course?
Higham, because you go flat out! Seriously, it’s a specialist track for horses and jockeys.
You have to know how to ride it and you shouldn’t kick on down the back straight as there’s
still a long way to go. I know it like the back of my hand now.
What are your ambitions in pointing and racing?
To keep enjoying it. It’s not just about riding winners and is all mental – you mustn’t let your
brain overpower your riding and, in racing, everything can come tumbling down.
Do you expect to be champion amateur again and who will be your main threats?
I’d like to be and – on paper – I should be, as I think I’m nine clear. But I know that Patrick
Mullins also wants to win it and, if he brings enough horses over, probably will. But I won’t
make it easy for him!
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